free
enjoying personal rights or liberty, as a person who is not in slavery: a land of free people.
pertaining to or reserved for those who enjoy personal liberty: They were thankful to be living on free soil.
existing under, characterized by, or possessing civil and political liberties that are, as a rule, constitutionally guaranteed by representative government: the free nations of the world.
enjoying political autonomy, as a people or country not under foreign rule; independent.
exempt from external authority, interference, restriction, etc., as a person or one's will, thought, choice, action, etc.; independent; unrestricted.
able to do something at will; at liberty: free to choose.
clear of obstructions or obstacles, as a road or corridor: The highway is now free of fallen rock.
not occupied or in use; available: I think the main conference room is free, so we can meet there.I'm moving to a new apartment, and that’s taking up most of my free time.
exempt or released from something specified that controls, restrains, burdens, etc. (usually followed by from or of): free from worry;free of taxes.: See also -free.
having immunity or being safe (usually followed by from): free from danger.
provided without, or not subject to, a charge or payment: free parking;a free sample.
given without consideration of a return or reward: a free offer of legal advice.
unimpeded, as motion or movement; easy, firm, or swift.
not held fast; loose; unattached: to get one's arm free.
not joined to or in contact with something else: The free end of the cantilever sagged.
acting without self-restraint or reserve: to be too free with one's tongue.
ready or generous in giving; liberal; lavish: to be free with one's advice.
given readily or in profusion; unstinted.
frank and open; unconstrained, unceremonious, or familiar.
unrestrained by decency; loose or licentious: free behavior.
not subject to special regulations, restrictions, duties, etc.: The ship was given free passage.
of, relating to, or characterized by free enterprise: a free economy.
that may be used by or is open to all: a free market.
engaged in by all present; general: a free fight.
not literal, as a translation, adaptation, or the like; loose.
uncombined chemically: free oxygen.
traveling without power; under no force except that of gravity or inertia: free flight.
Phonetics. (of a vowel) situated in an open syllable (opposed to checked).
at liberty to enter and enjoy at will (usually followed by of): to be free of a friend's house.
not subject to rules, set forms, etc.: The young students had an hour of free play between classes.
easily worked, as stone, land, etc.
Mathematics. (of a vector) having specified magnitude and direction but no specified initial point.: Compare bound1 (def. 9).
Also large .Nautical. (of a wind) nearly on the quarter, so that a sailing vessel may sail free.
not containing a specified substance (usually followed by of or from): Our deli meats are free of additives.: See also -free.
(of a linguistic form) occurring as an independent construction, without necessary combination with other forms, as most words.: Compare bound1 (def. 11).
without cost, payment, or charge.
in a free manner; freely.
Nautical. away from the wind, so that a sailing vessel need not be close-hauled: running free.
to make free; set at liberty; release from bondage, imprisonment, or restraint.
to exempt or deliver (usually followed by from).
to relieve or rid (usually followed by of): to free oneself of responsibility.
to disengage; clear (usually followed by from or of).
free up,
to release, as from restrictions: Congress voted to free up funds for the new highway system.
to disentangle: It took an hour to free up the traffic jam.
Idioms about free
for free, Informal. without charge: The tailor mended my jacket for free.
free and clear, Law. without any encumbrance, as a lien or mortgage: They owned their house free and clear.
free and easy,
unrestrained; casual; informal.
excessively or inappropriately casual; presumptuous.
make free with,
to use as one's own; help oneself to: If you make free with their liquor, you won't be invited again.
to treat with too much familiarity; take liberties with.
set free, to release; liberate; free: The prisoners were set free.
with a free hand, generously; freely; openhandedly: He entertains visitors with a free hand.
Origin of free
1synonym study For free
Other words from free
- free·ness, noun
- o·ver·free, adjective
- o·ver·free·ly, adverb
- qua·si-free, adjective
- qua·si-free·ly, adverb
- un·free, verb (used with object), un·freed, un·free·ing, adjective
- un·free·ly, adverb
Words Nearby free
Other definitions for -free (2 of 2)
a combining form with the general sense “free of or from something specified,” and typically meaning “not having, containing, subject to, or affected by something unwanted, burdensome, etc.”: error-free;gluten-free;tax-free;germfree.
- See also free (defs. 9, 34).
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use free in a sentence
The advertisements also seemed to target women and working mothers with fat-free snacks to be eaten at work, on the go, and while “kickin’ back.”
The Rise and Fall of the Rice Cake, America’s One-Time Favorite Health Snack | Brenna Houck | September 17, 2020 | EaterYou cannot think different in a nation where you cannot breathe free.
Trump’s most popular YouTube ad is a stew of manipulated video | Glenn Kessler, Meg Kelly | September 17, 2020 | Washington PostSo, in some sense, the Swedes can have this very harmonious redistributive society because they’re free-riding off the cutthroat society.
Does Anyone Really Know What Socialism Is? (Ep. 408 Rebroadcast) | Stephen J. Dubner | September 17, 2020 | FreakonomicsSingapore’s government launched a similar initiative in 2019 when it partnered with Fitbit to provide Singapore residents with free Fitbit fitness trackers if they bought a premium subscription to the company’s coaching program.
One country is now paying citizens to exercise with their Apple Watch | Naomi Xu Elegant | September 16, 2020 | FortuneTime’s Up, an organization that advocates for harassment-free workplaces for women, denounced the host’s use of the phrase.
Trump, in town hall, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently on pandemic | Colby Itkowitz, Josh Dawsey, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner | September 16, 2020 | Washington Post
In other words, the free thinker defending freedom of thought.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President | Pierre Assouline | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTTend to your own garden, to quote the great sage of free speech, Voltaire, and invite people to follow your example.
The simple, awful truth is that free speech has never been particularly popular in America.
Cambodia, with its seemingly free press, is also a haven for foreign journalists.
In other words, the free speech exhibited by the folks at Charlie Hebdo was not virtuous—until there was a body count.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead | Luke O’Neil | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTWhat need to look to right or left when you are swallowing up free mile after mile of dizzying road?
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. LockeIt seemed to free her of a responsibility which she had blindly assumed and for which Fate had not fitted her.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinIf we can free this State of Yankees, we will accomplish more than your armies down south have.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnThe voice of the orator peculiarly should be free from studied effects, and responsive to motive.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickAbove all, he was amazed to hear me talk of a mercenary standing army in the midst of peace and among a free people.
Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan Swift
British Dictionary definitions for free (1 of 2)
/ (friː) /
able to act at will; not under compulsion or restraint
having personal rights or liberty; not enslaved or confined
(as noun): land of the free
(often postpositive and foll by from) not subject (to) or restricted (by some regulation, constraint, etc); exempt: a free market; free from pain
(of a country, etc) autonomous or independent
exempt from external direction or restriction; not forced or induced: free will
not subject to conventional constraints: free verse
(of jazz) totally improvised, with no preset melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic basis
not exact or literal: a free translation
costing nothing; provided without charge: free entertainment
law (of property)
not subject to payment of rent or performance of services; freehold
not subject to any burden or charge, such as a mortgage or lien; unencumbered
(postpositive; often foll by of or with) ready or generous in using or giving; liberal; lavish: free with advice
unrestrained by propriety or good manners; licentious
not occupied or in use; available: a free cubicle
not occupied or busy; without previous engagements: I'm not free until Wednesday
open or available to all; public
without charge to the subscriber or user: freepost; freephone
not fixed or joined; loose: the free end of a chain
without obstruction or impediment: free passage
chem chemically uncombined: free nitrogen
phonetics denoting a vowel that can occur in an open syllable, such as the vowel in see as opposed to the vowel in cat
grammar denoting a morpheme that can occur as a separate word: Compare bound 1 (def. 8a)
logic denoting an occurrence of a variable not bound by a quantifier: Compare bound 1 (def. 9)
(of some materials, such as certain kinds of stone) easily worked
nautical (of the wind) blowing from the quarter
feel free (usually imperative) to regard oneself as having permission to perform a specified action
for free not standard without charge or cost
free and easy casual or tolerant; easy-going
make free with to take liberties with; behave too familiarly towards
in a free manner; freely
without charge or cost
nautical with the wind blowing from the quarter: a yacht sailing free
(sometimes foll by up) to set at liberty; release
to remove obstructions, attachments, or impediments from; disengage
(often foll by of or from) to relieve or rid (of obstacles, pain, etc)
informal a freesheet
Origin of free
1Derived forms of free
- freer, noun
- freely, adverb
- freeness, noun
British Dictionary definitions for -free (2 of 2)
free from: trouble-free; lead-free petrol
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with free
In addition to the idioms beginning with free
- free agent
- free and clear
- free and easy
- free as a bird
- free enterprise
- free fall
- free hand
- free lunch
- free rein
also see:
- breathe easy (freely)
- feel free
- footloose and fancy-free
- for free
- get off (scot-free)
- home free
- make free with
- of one's own accord (free will)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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